Skip to main menu Skip to content
Learn how to use the new academic search tool, Omni.
Geospatial Map & Data Centre
Home

Paper and Scanned Maps

Paper Map Collection

The Geospatial, Map and Data Centre (located on the 2nd floor of Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries, within the Ronald D. Besse Information and Learning Commons) houses a collection of over 20,000 paper maps.

National Topographic System (NTS) Maps

A complete run of National Topographic System (NTS) sheets at 1:250 000 and 1:50 000 (plus selected 1:25 000 index sheets) anchors the collection. The maps are filed by scale and sheet number. Index maps are available on top of the map cabinets.

Thematic Paper Maps

A thematic map is a special purpose map portraying information on a single topic or a set of topics. It may feature cultural information, such as population, or physical information, such as annual rainfall. A thematic map often contains generalized data and information is simplified to make the map easier to read. The majority of the thematic maps in the collection focus on Southern Ontario and the Toronto Region with various series issued by the province and municipalities. In addition, a small selection of maps cover the rest of Canada and other countries around the world. This component of TMU Libraries’ paper map collection can be searched using the advanced OMNI Search box.  For best results, limit your Search within ‘TMU Libraries’ and select ‘Maps’ as the Resource Type.

Access Note:  The majority of our historical paper maps covering the City of Toronto are stored in Closed Stacks. Please contact GMDC staff to request maps in Closed Stacks. We aim to answer paper map requests within 48 hours.

Below are some of the thematic map series in the collection:

  • Property Data Maps: Call # G3464.T7 G46 S1 T6 to G3464.T7 G46 S2 2007 T6
    • These maps display property locations and boundaries for a given area. They contain attributes such as tax roll number, street code, streets, roads, buildings, drainage, spot elevation and more. TMU Library has a collection of these maps for years 1978, 1985, 1991, 1999, 2003 and 2007
    • The Library’s GMDC Inventory contains Property data maps for the City of Toronto in pdf, dwg and shape format for 2004 and 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013
  • Toronto Photomaps: Call # G3464.T7 A4 1981 T68 to G3464.T7 A4 1997 T68
    • These are photography maps of the former Metropolitan Toronto (now the City of Toronto). The TMU Library has these maps for the following years: 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994 and 1997.
  • Census Maps: Call # G3464.T69 E25 1976.S73 to G3464.T69 E25 2001 C35
    • Census Tract (CT), Enumeration Area (EA) and Dissemination Area (DA) maps are published by Statistics Canada. A Census Tract is a geographical area defined by Statistics Canada and usually having a population between 2500 and 8000. An Enumeration Area (pre-2001 terminology) and a Dissemination area (post-1996 terminology) is a much smaller area containing one or more neighbouring blocks.
    • The TMU Library has CT maps for CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) Toronto for 1976 onwards. Search the library catalogue for call numbers.
    • Enumeration Area Maps are available for the individual metropolitan municipalities of Toronto for the 1991 Census.
    • Reference maps for Census Tracts and Dissemination Areas for 2006 Census are available online via Statistic Canada’s website.
  • Ontario Base Maps (OBM): Call # G3460 1969.R69 to G3461.J3
    • The OBMs cover the province at scales of 1:20,000 in Northern Ontario and 1:10,000 in Southern Ontario. A complete set is available on microfiche. These maps contains the geographical references of the topographic, cultural and cadastral features of Ontario, such as hydrography, vegetation, transportation, buildings and parks.
    • The TMU Library has a very small collection of printed OBMs.
    • The Ministry of Natural Resources provides Ontario Base Maps (OBMs) which cover most of Ontario. OBMs in GIS file format can be accessed here.
  • Soil Maps: Call # G3461.J3 svar. C36 (1-63)
    • These maps illustrate the general location of soils in a given area of Ontario
    • Reports and maps also can be found by searching the library catalogue.
    • There is not a soil map for the city of Toronto but related maps including one for the ‘Quaternary geology of Toronto and surrounding area, southern Ontario’ can be download via the Scholars GeoPortal.

 

Scanned Maps (NTS, Aerial Photos, Fire Insurance Plans)

Many paper holdings have been digitised or are discoverable through partner portals. Scholars GeoPortal offers high-resolution scans of historical NTS sheets and complete provincial air-photo mosaics that TMU users can download free of charge. or local research, the City of Toronto Archives hosts fully viewableaerial photographs (1947-1992) and fire-insurance plans (1858-1973) that detail every building footprint and material.